One Day in Detroit

filmmaking (1)

Who are you and what is your profession?My name is Brian Kaufman and I'm a videojournalist with the Detroit Free Press.

Who or what do you most admire?I was born and raised in the small mountain town of Idyllwild in Southern California and through my proximity to nature fell in love with the outdoors. I took up photography and filmmaking as a means to pursue a fulfilling career. I am interested in non-fiction storytelling exclusively and aim to shed light on social/historical/environmental issues. No one person or event inspired me to become a filmmaker. I was drawn to storytelling from a young age and video production seemed like the most logical path to reach a broad audience. I admire most those people who pursue life honestly and humbly, using their abilities to improve themselves and the world around them. As it turns out, people of such character often make good subjects, and I've been honored to meet so many through filmmaking and give voice to their stories.

What do you hope for Detroit in the next 20 years?Much of Detroit now sits empty. The emptiness creates a host of problems, but it may also provide solutions for Detroit's ultimate revival. My hope for Detroit is that it can become a model of sustainability for industrial-legacy cities, integrating neighborhoods, local food production, clean industry and a web of public green space that would encourage the return of wildlife within the city and promote bicycle transportation.